This invention relates to a double hung window assembly of the type which include a frame for mounting in a building opening and which carries a pair of slideable or moveable sash members.
Presently it is desirable that a window assembly have a plastic or elastomeric exterior for exposure to the weather and a wooden interior for decorative purposes, but the window assembly must be structurally sound and functional. In the past this was accomplished by entirely fabricating the window assembly (i.e. frame and sash members) of wood. Then the exterior wood which would be exposed to the weather was clad with a weather resistant material such as aluminum, polyvinylchloride (PVC) or other elastomer. The belief is that these cladding materials will degrade less than wood when exposed to weather. The window interior assembly was still wooden for esthetic and decorative reasons.
The reduced availability and high cost of wood has increased the motivation to decrease the amount of wood used, be sure there is wood for the interior decoration, and maximize the use of structural plastic materials.
This has led to the increased use of extruded plastic materials such as PVC, which have multiple cavities and are sound structural members. The cavities and their related walls or webs, are intended to reduce weight without sacrificing strength.
Various structures have been suggested for utilizing the wood/extruded plastic combination.
However, it has been found to be desirable to provide a double hung window assembly where each pane carrying sash member includes a plastic exterior and wooden interior and where wooden stops cooperate with the plastic to retain the pane in position and the stops are essentially identical for each sash.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a double hung window assembly, which employs a pair of moveable sashes wherein the pane for each sash is held in position by a plastic structural member and wooden stop that is essentially identical for each sash.
Present double hung window assemblies include a frame in which the sash engaging sides or jambs are of the same color both on the interior and exterior, that is where the frame engages the sash.
It is another object of this invention to provide differently colored jamb or jamb liners that have interior and exterior colors.
Present window frames using multi-chambered plastic elements may expose the plastics to the interior. This exposure can create esthetic and even decorating problems.
Thus, it is yet another object of this invention to provide a frame for a double hung window construction, which minimizes plastic exposure to the interior but maximizes wood exposure.
These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.